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Delhi ready to host 2010 Commonwealth Games: Patil |
President Pratibha Devisingh Patil, who is currently
on a visit to the United Kingdom where she will official accept the baton to signal
the launch of the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in October 2010, has told the BBC
that the Indian capital is fully geared to stage the mega sporting event. "No.
Delhi is quite prepared and they (the visitors) can come, they are most welcome
and Delhi is very, very ready to welcome all those people who want to come here.
No problem," Patil said in an interview to BBC television. Patil further went
to state that her visit to London, the first by an Indian Head of State after
nearly two decades, is aimed at strengthening the India-UK strategic partnership
that was conceived in January 2004. Describing the United Kingdom as India's fifth
largest global partner in trade, Patil said her country looks forward to more
investment. "Now, mutual trade has gone up to 12 billion pounds...The UK is also
the fourth largest investor in India and India is the third largest investor in
the UK, second largest so far as creation and securing jobs are concerned," said
Patil. Accepting the fact that Britain is experiencing one of its longest periods
of recession in history, Patil, however, said that inspite of this adverse situation,
there was plenty of scope and opportunities in both countries to improve, and
or, increase trade relations. "We think that in spite of this adverse situation
(economic slowdown), there are plenty of scope and opportunities in both countries
to improve trading relationship," she said. On the issue of terrorism and the
26/11 attacks on Mumbai, Patil described it as a crime against humanity, and urged
the international community to work together to counter such audacious attacks
by terrorists. On the issue of climate change, which likely to be addressed in
greater detail during the Copenhagen Summit in December, Patil said the UK and
other countries have the technological knowhow and skills to assist lesser developed
countries counter the problem. "India wants to have cooperation in that field
and also financial assistance so that we can also take immediate action on that,"
she said. "About eight missions have been set up for that (climate change). India
is seriously looking into this, how to fight this. We are working on conservation
of energy and new renewable sources. We look forward to having cooperation with
the UK," she added. She also revealed that in the cuurent time of global recession,
India was focussed on inclusive growth, with a special emphasis on improving standards
of education and rural health. India, she said, was also for promoting the empowerment
of women, and in this regard, the government has created a national mission for
social and economic empowerment. |
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